University of Potsdam scientists reveal key role of runaway stars in shaping supernova remnant population

The massive runaway star Zeta Ophiuchi moving with a velocity of 24 km/s, seen in infrared by the Spitzer instrument. Such objects influence the distribution of supernova remnants in the Galaxy. Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Dublin Inst. Advanced Studies/S. Green et al.; Infrared: NASA/JPL/Spitzer

(IN BRIEF) A team from the University of Potsdam and the Institute for Space Science in Barcelona has shown that the movement of massive runaway stars is a vital factor in understanding the gamma-ray emission from supernova remnants. Using supercomputer simulations at the Zuse Institute Berlin, the researchers determined that about 33 percent of massive stars in the Milky Way must be runaways to account for observations—consistent with long-standing values from direct measurements. Their findings highlight that stellar motion significantly influences the detectability of supernova remnants and will be crucial for interpreting future data from CTAO and LHAASO.

(PRESS RELEASE) POTSDAM, 11-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Scientists from the University of Potsdam and the Institute for Space Science in Barcelona have uncovered the significant role of moving massive stars in shaping the population of supernova remnants observed in very-high-energy gamma rays. Their study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, provides new insights into how stellar motion must be considered when investigating the origins and detectability of these powerful cosmic phenomena.

Massive stars often travel through interstellar space at unusually high velocities. While their movement can be traced through spectral measurements, once they explode as supernovae, leaving behind remnants that accelerate cosmic rays, information about their original motion is lost. Until now, this has left a gap in understanding the link between runaway progenitor stars and the gamma-ray emission from their remnants.

The research team approached the problem by studying the spatial distribution of supernova remnants in the Milky Way and comparing observations with advanced simulations. These simulations accounted for the birthplaces of massive stars, their lifetimes, their velocities, and the evolution of their supernova remnants. Carried out on the high-performance computing system Lise at the Zuse Institute Berlin, the modeling revealed that about 33 percent of massive stars must be “runaways” to explain observational data. Remarkably, this figure aligns closely with values derived from decades of direct stellar observations.

“Our studies demonstrate that the motion of supernova progenitors plays a crucial role in the detectability of supernova remnants at very high energies,” explained Rowan Batzofin, PhD student at the University of Potsdam and first author of the study. “We must take this motion into account when studying the Galactic population of supernova remnants and comparing observational data with simulations.”

Dominique Meyer from the Institute for Space Science in Barcelona emphasized the broader implications: “These findings open a wide research avenue at the intersection of high-energy astroparticle physics and the study of massive stars. We are eager to build on this work, especially in connection with gamma-ray observatories such as CTAO (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory) and LHAASO (Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory).”

By demonstrating that stellar motion is a key factor in interpreting very-high-energy gamma-ray data, the study paves the way for more accurate modeling of the Milky Way’s supernova remnant landscape and offers valuable context for future observations from next-generation observatories.

Media Contact:

Rowan Batzofin, Institute of Physics and Astronomy
E-Mail: Rowan.Batzofin@uni-potsdam.de

SOURCE: University of Potsdam